Audubon Florida: Restore Indian River Lagoon Update

Having trouble reading this email? Click here to read it online. Audubon Florida: Restore Indian River Lagoon Update Support Everglades Science and Policy Tell Your Friends Send this message to friends and family members! Stay Connected Bookmark the Audubon Florida News Blog Update: Indian River Lagoon in Crisis Grassroots supporters make the case for restoration projects. The Audubon Florida Everglades Conservation Team has been hard at work proposing solutions to help stem the damaging fresh water releases into the St. Lucie and Caloosahatchee Estuaries. Favorable weather conditions have helped reduce the volume of water being released, but impacts to the environment will continue for months to come. Read on for more information on thisunfolding crisis and what our team and our grassroots Audubon Advocates are doing to help. - Audubon Florida Everglades Conservation Team Audubon Executive Director Eric Draper Offers IRL and Lake Okeechobee Solutions to Florida Senate Committee Eric Draper, signatures in hand.  Yesterday Audubon Florida Executive Director Eric Drapertestified at the Senate Select Committee on Indian River Lagoon and Lake Okeechobee Basin. The Committee heard from technical experts, agency officials and community representatives, focused on solutions to reduce the damage to the coastal estuaries.  In addition to larger solutions like completing restoration projects and improving water quality, Draper spoke about the need to work with landowners to store more water on lands as a solution that could be put in place immediately. The Committee was receptive and Senator Negron asked Audubon to help identify areas that could store water. Clickhere to see his presentation. Thank you to everyone who signed onto Audubon’s letter to Senator Negron regarding solutions. Over 2400 of you took action! Draper submitted your signatures and you are part of the official Senate Select Committee record. The hearing was a good first step but there is still much to be done. The Committee will continue to meet and will submit a report by November 4, 2013 to the Senate Committees on Appropriations, Environmental Preservation and Conservation, and Agriculture with solutions. We will keep you posted on further developments. State of Florida Commits to Additional $40 Million for Indian River Lagoon Project This summer, the lack of options for storing and cleaning water in the Everglades has led to toxic algae blooms and wildlife deaths in the Indian River Lagoon and St. Lucie Estuary. In response, Governor Rick Scott’s announced this week that the state is committed to investing $40 million to complete construction of the C-44 Stormwater Treatment Area. This is part of the larger Indian River Lagoon South restoration project that will help treat dirty water before it enters the estuary. This is a welcome commitment in a time of budget constraints and is one of the comprehensive recommendations made by Audubon. See Audubon’s view in the Miami Herald. Audubon’s Dr. Paul Gray Discusses Solutions on Indian River Lagoon with Senator Bill Nelson Senator Bill Nelson and Dr. Paul Gray U.S. Senator Bill Nelson last week held a public round table in Stuart to discuss the environmental crisis occurring in the Indian River Lagoon. Audubon’sDr. Paul Gray was an invited panelist along with 17 others including representatives from local governments, the Florida House of Representatives, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and scientists from public and private entities.  The round table began with fact finding discussion about present conditions and concluded with an exchange of ideas on what needs to be done to address the situation, including Audubon’s recommended solutions. South Florida Water Management District Unanimously Approves Release of Central Everglades Planning Project Wood Stork   You helped make a difference!  Thanks to the efforts and comments from our members, the South Florida Water Management District’s vote was an important victory for the Everglades and fragile coastal estuaries. TheCentral Everglades Planning Projectwill increase flow to the south by 217,000 acre feet (70 billion gallons) of water, substantially reducing discharges of polluted water from the Lake to the St. Lucie and Caloosahatchee estuaries during high water events, while still maintaining needed dry season flows. With this decision, the project can now be released for public comment and continue through the final planning stages. Final planning must be completed expeditiously to make the project eligible for Congressional approval.  Drew Bartlett to Lead Water Policy and Ecosystem Restoration at Florida DEP Congratulations to Drew Bartlett on his new appointment as Florida Department of Environmental Protection Deputy Secretary for Water Policy and Ecosystem Restoration. Bartlett’s expertise on water quality improvements will serve Florida well as his agency embarks on a new plan to reduce the amount of pollution flowing into the Okeechobee watershed. Audubon wishes the best of luck to Bartlett’s predecessor Greg Munson on his future endeavors.   You can update your email preferences here.